Hundreds of parents took advantage of the sunshine to head out to the School Choice Fair on Saturday, April 26, and many were surprised to find that some specialty and magnet schools still had spaces available.

Schools such as M.C. Williams, a STEM magnet school, still had open seats, as well as many HISD high schools with strong STEM programs. Prospective students found that spots for the gifted and talented at Hamilton and Black middle schools were still available, as were IB program spots at Grady Middle School.

Though the fair’s focus was on middle and high school programs, elementary schools showcased soon-to-open dual-language programs that begin in pre-kindergarten and focus on Spanish.

Parents must apply now online to secure a spot at any of these schools, because as spaces become available students, are chosen from a waitlist. Once chosen, families have 72 hours to accept a seat and guarantee a space for their child next fall. But don’t worry – accepting a seat at one school doesn’t knock you off another school’s waitlist.

For more information on applying, please visit the Office of School Choice web page.

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